Adjustable pulley assembly for a compound archery bow

Abstract

A pulley assembly for a compound bow comprises a draw cable pulley, a power cable pulley attached to the draw cable pulley, and a cable deflector attached to the draw cable pulley and adjustable among multiple deflector arrangements. Movement of the cable deflector alters deflection of the power cable during the bow's draw to alter effective length of the power cable and relative synchronization of the pulley assembly with a second pulley assembly. The adjustment can be performed without using a bow press and without derigging the bow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A pulley assembly for a compound archery bow, the pulley assembly comprising a draw cable pulley, a power cable pulley substantially rigidly attached to the draw cable pulley, and an adjustable cable deflector substantially rigidly attached to the draw cable pulley, wherein:
 (a) the draw cable pulley is structurally arranged so as to (i) define a first pulley assembly transverse rotation axis, (ii) be mounted on a first limb of an archery bow to rotate about the first pulley assembly axis, (iii) let out from a circumferential draw cable journal of the draw cable pulley a draw cable of the archery bow when the bow is drawn and the draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis, and (iv) provide a power cable anchor; 
 (b) the power cable pulley is structurally arranged and positioned on the draw cable pulley so that (i) with the bow at brace and during an earlier phase of drawing the bow, the power cable pulley does not make contact with a power cable of the archery bow that is anchored at the power cable anchor, (ii) during a later phase of drawing the bow, a segment of the power cable that is displaced from the power cable anchor is taken up by a circumferential power cable journal of the power cable pulley, and a segment of the power cable that is immediately adjacent the power cable anchor does not make contact with the power cable pulley; 
 (c) one or both of the cable deflector and the draw cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the cable deflector to the draw cable pulley in any one of a set of multiple deflector arrangements; 
 (d) in any one of the multiple deflector arrangements, with the bow at brace, the cable deflector causes no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of the power cable; and 
 (e) in one or more of the multiple deflector arrangements, the cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected power cable path between the power cable anchor and the power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection differing from an amount of lateral deflection of at least one other of the multiple deflector arrangements. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for adjusting the pulley assembly of  claim 1 , the method comprising moving the cable deflector from a first one of the multiple deflector arrangements and substantially rigidly attaching the cable deflector to the draw cable pulley in a second, different one of the multiple deflector arrangements, thereby altering the amount of deflection of the adjacent segment of the power cable. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein differing amounts of deflection of the adjacent segment of the power cable result in (i) differing effective lengths of the power cable during the later phase of drawing the bow, and (ii) differing relative synchronizations of the pulley assembly with a second pulley assembly mounted on a second limb of the compound archery bow. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein the cable deflector is moved and attached without using a bow press and without derigging the bow. 
     
     
       5. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein, in two or more of the multiple first deflector arrangements, the cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected power cable path between the power cable anchor and the power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection varying among the two or more of the multiple deflector arrangements. 
     
     
       6. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein, in at least one of the deflector arrangements, the cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to cause no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of any segment of the power cable during any phase of drawing the bow. 
     
     
       7. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein the set of multiple deflector arrangements comprises a set of discrete positions or orientations of the cable deflector relative to the draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       8. The pulley assembly of  claim 7  wherein the draw cable pulley or the cable deflector is structurally arranged so as to provide mechanical indexing of each one of the multiple, discrete positions or orientations of the cable deflector relative to the draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       9. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein the set of multiple deflector arrangements comprises a continuous range of positions or orientations of the cable deflector relative to the draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       10. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 (f) the cable deflector comprises an upper deflector member substantially rigidly, eccentrically mounted on a substantially circular lower deflector member; 
 (g) the draw cable pulley includes a substantially circular cavity sized so as to accommodate the lower deflector member of the cable deflector positioned within the cavity; 
 (h) the cable deflector is substantially rigidly attached to the draw cable pulley with the lower deflector member positioned in the cavity and the upper deflector member protruding from the cavity so as to enable the upper deflector member to deflect the power cable; and 
 (i) each different relative rotational position of the lower deflector member within the cavity corresponds to a different deflector arrangement. 
 
     
     
       11. The pulley assembly of  claim 10  wherein the cavity and the lower deflector member include respective mating sets of radial ribs structurally arranged so as to mechanically index a set of multiple, discrete relative rotational positions of the lower deflector member within the cavity. 
     
     
       12. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein one or both of the draw cable pulley and the power cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the power cable pulley to the draw cable pulley in any one of multiple power cable pulley arrangements. 
     
     
       13. The pulley assembly of  claim 12  wherein each one of the multiple power cable pulley arrangements results in one or more of: (i) a corresponding draw length of the bow that differs from a draw length resulting from at least one different power cable pulley arrangement; (ii) a corresponding draw weight of the bow that differs from a draw weight resulting from at least one different power cable pulley arrangement; (iii) corresponding stored energy of the drawn bow that differs from stored energy of the drawn bow resulting from at least one different power cable pulley arrangement; or (iv) a corresponding dependence of draw force on draw distance of the bow that differs from a dependence of draw force on draw distance resulting from at least one different power cable pulley arrangement. 
     
     
       14. A method for adjusting the pulley assembly of  claim 13 , the method comprising moving the power cable pulley from a first one of the multiple power cable pulley arrangements and substantially rigidly attaching the power cable pulley to the draw cable pulley in a second, different one of the multiple power cable pulley arrangements, thereby altering one or more of the draw weight, the draw length, the stored energy of the drawn bow, or the dependence of draw force on draw distance. 
     
     
       15. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a second pulley assembly, wherein:
 (f) the second pulley assembly comprises a second draw cable pulley, a second power cable pulley substantially rigidly attached to the second draw cable pulley, and a second adjustable cable deflector substantially rigidly attached to the second draw cable pulley; 
 (g) the second draw cable pulley is structurally arranged so as to (i) define a second pulley assembly transverse rotation axis, (ii) be mounted on a second limb of the bow to rotate about the second pulley assembly axis, (iii) let out a draw cable of the archery bow from a circumferential draw cable journal of the second draw cable pulley when the bow is drawn and the second draw cable pulley rotates about the second pulley assembly axis, and (iv) provide a second power cable anchor; 
 (h) the second power cable pulley is structurally arranged and positioned on the second draw cable pulley so that (i) with the bow at brace and during an earlier phase of drawing the bow, the second power cable pulley does not make contact with a second power cable of the archery bow that is anchored at the second power cable anchor, (ii) during a later phase of drawing the bow, a segment of the second power cable that is displaced from the second power cable anchor is taken up by a circumferential power cable journal of the second power cable pulley, and a segment of the second power cable that is immediately adjacent the second power cable anchor does not make contact with the second power cable pulley; 
 (i) one or both of the second cable deflector and the second draw cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the second cable deflector to the second draw cable pulley in any one of a set of multiple second deflector arrangements; 
 (j) in any one of the multiple second deflector arrangements, with the bow at brace, the second cable deflector causes no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of the second power cable; and 
 (k) in one or more of the multiple second deflector arrangements, the second cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the second power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected second power cable path between the second power cable anchor and the second power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection differing from an amount of lateral deflection of at least one other of the multiple second deflector arrangements. 
 
     
     
       16. The pulley assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pulley assembly further comprises a cable let-out pulley substantially rigidly attached to the draw cable pulley or the power cable pulley, wherein the cable let-out pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential journal of the let-out pulley an additional cable of the archery bow when the bow is drawn and the draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis. 
     
     
       17. A compound archery bow, comprising a central riser, first and second bow limbs secured to opposing ends of the riser, first and second pulley assemblies rotatably mounted on the first and second bow limbs, respectively, a draw cable, and a power cable, wherein:
 (a) the first pulley assembly comprises a first draw cable pulley, a first power cable pulley substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley, and a first adjustable cable deflector substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley; 
 (b) the first draw cable pulley is structurally arranged so as to (i) define a first pulley assembly transverse rotation axis, (ii) be mounted on the first bow limb to rotate about the first pulley assembly axis, (iii) let out from a circumferential draw cable journal of the first draw cable pulley the draw cable when the bow is drawn and the draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis, and (iv) provide a first power cable anchor; 
 (c) the first power cable pulley is structurally arranged and positioned on the first draw cable pulley so that (i) with the bow at brace and during an earlier phase of drawing the bow, the first power cable pulley does not make contact with the first power cable that is anchored at the first power cable anchor, (ii) during a later phase of drawing the bow, a segment of the first power cable that is displaced from the first power cable anchor is taken up by a circumferential power cable journal of the first power cable pulley, and a segment of the first power cable that is immediately adjacent the first power cable anchor does not make contact with the first power cable pulley; 
 (d) one or both of the first cable deflector and the first draw cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the first cable deflector to the first draw cable pulley in any one of a set of multiple first deflector arrangements; 
 (e) in any one of the multiple deflector arrangements, with the bow at brace, the cable deflector causes no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of the power cable; and 
 (f) in one or more of the multiple deflector arrangements, the cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected power cable path between the power cable anchor and the power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection differing from an amount of lateral deflection of at least one other of the multiple deflector arrangements. 
 
     
     
       18. A method for adjusting the bow of  claim 17 , the method comprising moving the first cable deflector from a first one of the multiple first deflector arrangements and substantially rigidly attaching the first cable deflector to the first draw cable pulley in a second, different one of the multiple first deflector arrangements, thereby altering the amount of deflection of the adjacent segment of the first power cable. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein differing amounts of deflection of the adjacent segment of the power cable result in (i) differing effective lengths of the power cable during the later phase of drawing the bow, and (ii) differing relative synchronizations of the pulley assembly with a second pulley assembly mounted on a second limb of the compound archery bow. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18  wherein the cable deflector is moved and attached without using a bow press and without derigging the bow. 
     
     
       21. The bow of  claim 17  wherein, in two or more of the multiple first deflector arrangements, the first cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the first power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected first power cable path between the first power cable anchor and the first power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection varying among the two or more of the multiple first deflector arrangements. 
     
     
       22. The bow of  claim 17  wherein, in at least one of the first deflector arrangements, the first cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to cause no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of any segment of the first power cable during any phase of drawing the bow. 
     
     
       23. The bow of  claim 17  wherein the set of multiple first deflector arrangements comprises a set of discrete positions or orientations of the first cable deflector relative to the first draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       24. The bow of  claim 23  wherein the first draw cable pulley or the first cable deflector is structurally arranged so as to provide mechanical indexing of each one of the multiple, discrete positions or orientations of the first cable deflector relative to the first draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       25. The bow of  claim 17  wherein the set of multiple first deflector arrangements comprises a continuous range of positions or orientations of the first cable deflector relative to the first draw cable pulley. 
     
     
       26. The bow of  claim 17  wherein:
 (g) the first cable deflector comprises an upper deflector member substantially rigidly, eccentrically mounted on a substantially circular lower deflector member; 
 (h) the first draw cable pulley includes a substantially circular cavity sized so as to accommodate the lower deflector member of the first cable deflector positioned within the cavity; 
 (i) the first cable deflector is substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley with the lower deflector member positioned in the cavity and the upper deflector member protruding from the cavity so as to enable the upper deflector member to deflect the first power cable; and 
 (j) each different relative rotational position of the lower deflector member within the cavity corresponds to a different first deflector arrangement. 
 
     
     
       27. The bow of  claim 26  wherein the cavity and the lower deflector member include respective mating sets of radial ribs structurally arranged so as to mechanically index a set of multiple, discrete relative rotational positions of the lower deflector member within the cavity. 
     
     
       28. The bow of  claim 17  wherein one or both of the first draw cable pulley and the first power cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the first power cable pulley to the first draw cable pulley in any one of multiple first power cable pulley arrangements. 
     
     
       29. The bow of  claim 28  wherein each one of the multiple first power cable pulley arrangements results in one or more of: (i) a corresponding draw length of the bow that differs from a draw length resulting from at least one different first power cable pulley arrangement; (ii) a corresponding draw weight of the bow that differs from a draw weight resulting from at least one different first power cable pulley arrangement; (iii) corresponding stored energy of the drawn bow that differs from stored energy of the drawn bow resulting from at least one different first power cable pulley arrangement; or (iv) a corresponding dependence of draw force on draw distance of the bow that differs from a dependence of draw force on draw distance resulting from at least one different first power cable pulley arrangement. 
     
     
       30. A method for adjusting the bow of  claim 29 , the method comprising moving the first power cable pulley from a first one of the multiple first power cable pulley arrangements and substantially rigidly attaching the first power cable pulley to the first draw cable pulley in a second, different one of the multiple first power cable pulley arrangements, thereby altering one or more of the draw weight, the draw length, the stored energy of the drawn bow, or the dependence of draw force on draw distance. 
     
     
       31. The bow of  claim 17  further comprising a second power cable, wherein:
 (g) the second pulley assembly comprises a second draw cable pulley, a second power cable pulley substantially rigidly attached to the second draw cable pulley, and a second adjustable cable deflector substantially rigidly attached to the second draw cable pulley; 
 (h) the second draw cable pulley is structurally arranged so as to (i) define a second pulley assembly transverse rotation axis, (ii) be mounted on the second bow limb to rotate about the second pulley assembly axis, (iii) let out the draw cable from a circumferential draw cable journal of the second draw cable pulley when the bow is drawn and the second draw cable pulley rotates about the second pulley assembly axis, and (iv) provide a second power cable anchor; 
 (i) the second power cable pulley is structurally arranged and positioned on the second draw cable pulley so that (i) with the bow at brace and during an earlier phase of drawing the bow, the second power cable pulley does not make contact with the second power cable that is anchored at the second power cable anchor, (ii) during a later phase of drawing the bow, a segment of the second power cable that is displaced from the second power cable anchor is taken up by a circumferential power cable journal of the second power cable pulley, and a segment of the second power cable that is immediately adjacent the second power cable anchor does not make contact with the second power cable pulley; 
 (j) one or both of the second cable deflector and the second draw cable pulley are structurally arranged so as to enable substantially rigid attachment of the second cable deflector to the second draw cable pulley in any one of a set of multiple second deflector arrangements; 
 (k) in any one of the multiple second deflector arrangements, with the bow at brace, the second cable deflector causes no lateral deflection, or only negligible lateral deflection, of the second power cable; and 
 (l) in one or more of the multiple second deflector arrangements, the second cable deflector is positioned and arranged so as to deflect laterally, during the later phase of drawing the bow, the adjacent segment of the second power cable by a non-negligible amount relative to an undeflected second power cable path between the second power cable anchor and the second power cable pulley, with the non-negligible amount of lateral deflection differing from an amount of lateral deflection of at least one other of the multiple second deflector arrangements. 
 
     
     
       32. The bow of  claim 31  wherein:
 (m) the first pulley assembly further comprises a first power cable let-out pulley substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley or the first power cable pulley; 
 (n) the first power cable let-out pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential power cable journal of the first power cable let-out pulley the second power cable when the bow is drawn and the first draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis; 
 (o) the second pulley assembly further comprises a second power cable let-out pulley substantially rigidly attached to the second draw cable pulley or the second power cable pulley; and 
 (p) the second power cable let-out pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential power cable journal of the second power cable let-out pulley the first power cable when the bow is drawn and the second draw cable pulley rotates about the second pulley assembly axis. 
 
     
     
       33. The bow of  claim 17  wherein the second pulley assembly includes a power cable let-out pulley that is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential power cable journal of the power cable let-out pulley the power cable when the bow is drawn and the draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis. 
     
     
       34. The bow of  claim 17  wherein:
 (g) the first pulley assembly further comprises a draw cable let-out pulley substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley or the first power cable pulley; 
 (h) the second pulley assembly comprises an idler wheel; and 
 (i) the draw cable let-out pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential draw cable journal of the draw cable let-out pulley the second end of the draw cable, with the draw cable passing around the idler wheel, when the bow is drawn and the draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis. 
 
     
     
       35. The bow of  claim 17  further comprising a coupling cable, wherein:
 (g) the first pulley assembly further comprises a coupling cable let-out pulley substantially rigidly attached to the first draw cable pulley or the first power cable pulley; 
 (h) the second pulley assembly comprises a second draw cable pulley and a coupling cable take-up pulley; 
 (i) the second draw cable pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential draw cable journal of the second draw cable pulley the draw cable when the bow is drawn and the second pulley assembly rotates about the second pulley assembly axis; 
 (j) the coupling cable take-up pulley is structurally arranged so as to take up into a circumferential coupling cable journal of the coupling cable take-up pulley a first end of the coupling cable when the bow is drawn and the second pulley assembly rotates about the second pulley assembly axis; and 
 (k) the coupling cable let-out pulley is structurally arranged so as to let out from a circumferential coupling cable journal of the coupling cable let-out pulley a second end of the coupling cable when the bow is drawn and the first draw cable pulley rotates about the first pulley assembly axis.